So Jesus Made Haste — For Uncle Bud

Posted on October 4, 2019 by Karen Thomas Olsen

It was just a week ago today that I posted, saying that I never expected a month to pass before my next post, but it had. So, why am I posting just a week later?[1] I just have to tell you. This past week has been like a life time for me.

In the last post I threw out the Latin phrase “festina lente” which means “make haste slowly” and I said that this should be my motto. I noted that I can do the “lente” part, the slow part, and Jesus, in the fullness of time, will do the “festina” part, making haste.

And so Jesus has made haste in our family, for the fullness of time did come for our dear Uncle Bud, just last Sunday morning as he was finishing a good breakfast in the cafeteria of the nursing home. Uncle Bud, Sir Uncle Bud, as some of us called him, had just finished his typical breakfast. Two eggs over easy and toast. Delicious. He was in good spirits and appeared to be doing pretty well for his 97, nearing 98 years.

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A Traveler’s Guide: Making Haste Slowly

Posted on September 27, 2019 by Karen Thomas Olsen

I never expected a month to pass before I would submit more material to you from my coming book (a faith walk), A Traveler’s Guide Through Suffering and Joy!

Oh, I have been writing. “Festina lente” — “make haste slowly” should be my motto. I think this oxymoron suites my life.

As a child I was a “slow learner,” and then I caught up. So as an older person (what I call “Early Old” – the 60s), I can be a slow writer. I do hope to catch up. Just like the tortoise. I will catch up, and maybe even move ahead.  “Hare, hare!”

Simmer, simmer, write, write, exhaustion, distraction, distraction, exhaustion, family activity, church/friend activity, exhaustion, simmer, write. . . .  (Stuff inside exhaustion and distraction some headaches and an angry body.) Sometimes my faith walk is a faith crawl, with a snooze tucked in.

Ah, I do have some pages for you to read. Let me see. . . .

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A Traveler’s Guide through Suffering and Joy – Draft 1 of Introduction

Posted on August 28, 2019 by Karen Thomas Olsen

I’m submitting to you the first draft of the first chapter of my book, the chapter of introduction.

I would like for you to read it (in light of my last two posts) and then comment on it — if you have any constructive encouragements (what works for you) and recommendations (what doesn’t work or suggestions for improvement).

I’d like to fuss over it to you, explaining this or that, but I’ll withhold those thoughts. Please read the attached chapter. It is only five pages long. This chapter precedes the twelve chapters, setting up the book, for the most part.

Please treat the document with respect, noting it is my work, and do not pass it on without proper attribution. Thank you!

I’m submitting it only as a Word document, so I hope you can open it.

Introduction to A Traveler’s Guide through Joy and Suffering

Open for comments. (Oh, my. . . .)

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Categories: Joy & Suffering -- Good & Evil | Tags: | 15 Comments

What Do You Think of a Traveler’s Guide?

Posted on August 20, 2019 by Karen Thomas Olsen

I’ve been praying over and simmering on the book I am currently crafting — a Bible study to lead us through an exploration of suffering and joy. (Note last post.) This study will develop a theology of suffering and joy to help us make sense of the mixed bags of our lives and to help us grow up in Christ.

I thought I was going to write this book soon after completing my doctorate in 2016. I did begin various ventures in 2017, but I’m just now attempting to complete it so several groups can start using it in January 2020.  You, JNC readers, can work through drafted chapters with me, if you so desire, in the coming months.

I think the book will have twelve chapters and each chapter will have five to six sections. I thought I had decided on a book title and now I’m considering a second idea. I’d like your input.

What do you think of this title and sub-title? Continue reading →

Categories: Joy & Suffering -- Good & Evil | Tags: , , | 8 Comments

The Ancient Paths and A “New Ology” to Enlighten Our Way

Posted on August 10, 2019 by Karen Thomas Olsen

It’s time.  Time for a new topic and study. Of course, our previous theme, “spirituality,” is involved in everything we consider on JNC.

I think about you all as friends with whom I’d like to discuss all sorts of things. I’ve been tempted to go in five directions. Then, a month ago,  a friend asked me a question and put a particular expectation on me. Suddenly, I have direction. Wow.

For several years, I’ve been seeking God’s guidance on what to do with all the work I did to produce my doctoral dissertation. I have been willingly distracted by our move from Arizona to Indiana, getting settled in, spending time developing deeper relationships with some family members, searching for a church home, making new friends…. You understand. I was satisfied to procrastinate (while praying for God’s direction).

When Sandy, my close friend from high school, and her husband who live in South Carolina visited us last month, Sandy wanted to know what I have done with my dissertation. Was the book ready? She wants to teach it at her ladies’ Bible study at her church beginning this January. Sandy put a fire under me!

If I pursue this, would you be interested in having access to this Bible study that unfolds a biblical theology of suffering, but not only of suffering but of suffering and joy? Would you be interested Continue reading →

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Christian Spirituality: A 12 Verse Dance OR A 12 Point Framework

Posted on July 30, 2019 by Karen Thomas Olsen

A dance sounds much more interesting than a framework. Dancers listen and move —  responsively and actively. A framework, like a musical score, sets direction and boundaries for the movements. The dance attracts, offering adventure, while the framework protects, offering wisdom and security.

Before we begin a new series, I want to close (for now) this series on spirituality.  In this series, I didn’t move well enough from abstraction to illustration these six months, but I do not want to take more space and time to move in that direction.

Today, I’m going to present a chart to you, based on the framework I began in draft form on April 10 and July 11. I’ve revised, added references, and expanded points up to an even dozen. I was tempted to add more, but you can!

I hope you find the chart useful. Read the Scriptures after each point. Lots of rich food there! The points may seem basic or obvious to many of you, but when you read the passages, the points no longer seem basic. These Scriptures should move your heart!

You can print the chart and use it as a Bible study, exploring the given Scriptures and adding more references. You may want to Continue reading →

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Decluttering: In Search of True Spirituality

Posted on July 11, 2019 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Recently, I listened to a number of TED talk videos on YouTube about decluttering.

“Downsize Your Life: Why Less is More.”

“How Many Towels Do You Really Need?”

“Is Your Stuff Stopping You?”

“From Clutter to Clarity”

Beyond TED talks, YouTube appears to have hundreds of videos about decluttering, downsizing, and organizing, and more about minimalism versus materialism. When I google such topics, I am overwhelmed with the amount of information and advice about clutter. Irony. The clutter of information. The clutter of advice. We are drowning in it.

Clutter and materialism have spiritual roots. I realize that everything in life is related to spirituality. Back to our theme of spirituality.

How do we sort out the many spiritualities that face you and me? What do these various spiritualities mean to me and to my own spirituality? What is true spirituality?

Time to declutter some thoughts and reach down to the root. Continue reading →

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Jesus Never Was a Father

Posted on June 16, 2019 by Karen Thomas Olsen

It’s Father’s Day. We know that the role of a father is one of man’s most important and prestigious roles. Our race could not continue without fathers. Children need good fathers.

I’ve heard some men say that they love being fathers, that they couldn’t be prouder than to be the fathers of their children, and that fatherhood is more important to them than their careers.

Yet, Jesus never was a father.

His role is as the Son. And as our brother and Savior. But he never was a father. This is nothing too profound to observe, but it is, to me, striking on several levels. Continue reading →

Categories: Spiritual Growth | Tags: | 5 Comments

How Do I Love Thee?

Posted on May 11, 2019 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Recently, I discovered a precious piece of paper in a smelly box of yellowing papers, stored in Aunt Mary’s garage at the Findlay Family Farm. So, our “Spirituality” theme will take a different turn today. A very practical turn.  Practical, yet touching and spiritual.

This recent discovery is appropriate for me to share with you on Mother’s Day or on any day that you’d like to have an uplifting thought or two or more….

It is a draft of a love/gratitude letter that my mother wrote to my father in 1990, for their fortieth wedding anniversary which was on September 2.  At the end, she adds in pencil, “finished in Sept. 1990”, which indicates to me that she had been working on this for awhile, growing her special, love list. Continue reading →

Categories: Being Like Jesus, Parenting, Spiritual Growth | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments

A Biblical Framework for Interpreting Spiritual Realities

Posted on April 10, 2019 by Karen Thomas Olsen

Ahh. I’ve been wanting to dig into this study of spirituality for months. The first quarter of 2019 is over with all of its activities: a month in Florida, recovery back home, doctor and medical visits, planning for Grand Camp, holding a week long Grand Camp with our grandsons at our house, and recovering from all its hubbub! All these activities as well as many unplanned distractions involved spirituality — spirituality woven into the fabric of daily living.

I had to put all of my study materials away before the two boys came to spend a week with Nana and Papa O during their spring break. Planning Grand Camp was a blessed obsession. Living through the blessed craziness — well,  I can’t say that I’ve totally recovered.

Nonetheless, this afternoon, I chose the main guest room as my studio for this study. I collected Bibles, reference books, and my stack of books on our topic.  Now, I had been simmering on this topic months ago. Where are those notes? Happily, I found them. Continue reading →

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